Wednesday, September 02, 2009

The Economy needs Health Care Reform!

The need for health care reform reaches passed the medical needs to the financial needs of those currently with and without health insurance. Nicholas Kristof reported that a study from the American Journal of Medicine found that 62% of all bankruptcies in 2007 were because of medical debts--an increase of 50% since 2001; and most shockingly, 78% of the people declaring bankruptcy had health insurance.The are are also many people whose claims are denied for many reasons--the illness or procedure is not covered by the health insurance contract, it is a pre-existing condition, the procedure is considered by the company to be experimental. . .This points to a major concern--that the health insurance industry is not in business to protect health, but for profit. (see video clip below).We need a program that will insure a healthy America--in more ways than one.IMHO, Medicare for all.

Dr.JAM is a professor of Political Science and Women's Studies at Marist College, Poughkeepsie NY. Her main focus is teaching students to be critical thinkers and active citizens. She worked in both the Koch and Cuomo administrations before returning to academia. She teaches Modern Political Thought, Contemporary Ideologies, Feminist Political Thought, American National Government, Political Ideas and Issues, Political and Social Movements, among other courses.
She writes a regular column (Walk the Talk) in InsideOut (tm). She has written many articles and books including The Historical Dictionary of the Lesbian Liberation Movement: Still the Rage (Rowman Littlefield, 2003). An active citizen, she served on the boards of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater (where she once was cook); The Grace Smith House,currently she serves on the (executive) boards of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at ValKill and the Ulster County Democratic Women. $>